Sub-lethal effects of Roundup™ on tadpole anti-predator responses

Journal or Publishing Institution: Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety

Study: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651314004801

Author(s): Moore, H., Chivers, D.P. and Ferrari, M.C.

Article Type: Peer Reviewed Study

Record ID: 1668

Abstract: Roundup™ is a commonly used pesticide applied to agriculture and forest habitats. These areas are generally ideal for amphibians due to the presence of small, ephemeral water bodies. While Roundup™ has been shown to have lethal effects on many species of amphibians, effects on behaviour and sensory perception have yet to be considered. Here, we exposed wood frog tadpoles to a sub-lethal concentration of Roundup™ and showed that the ability of tadpoles to respond to injured conspecific cues, an important source of information regarding local predation risk, was impaired. Subsequent experiments revealed that impaired responses likely result from a chemical reaction between the Roundup™ and the cues and that tadpoles chronically exposed to Roundup™ had reduced basal movement rates compared with unexposed tadpoles. Our data demonstrate that environmentally-relevant concentrations of Roundup™ can drastically alter movement and anti-predator responses of tadpoles, with potential negative consequences for the population.

Keywords: Roundup, Sub-Lethal Effects, Predation, Risk Assessment, Injured Conspecific Cues, Alarm Cues, Tadpole, Ecotoxicology, Amphibian Decline; Animals, Drug Dose-Response Relationship, Environmental Exposure, Escape Reaction, Glycine, Larva, Movement, Pesticides, Predatory Behavior, Ranidae, Acute Toxicity Tests, Chemical Water Pollutants; Analysis, Drug Effects, Toxicity, Growth & Development, Pharmacology

Citation: Moore, H., Chivers, D.P. and Ferrari, M.C., 2015. Sub-lethal effects of Roundup™ on tadpole anti-predator responses. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 111, pp.281-285.